


Spirit Child

by demonofabove



Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst, Australian Aboriginal Mythology, KakaIru Mini Bang 2020, M/M, Mpreg, Pining, Spiritual, Urban Legends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2020-06-07
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:46:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24584014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/demonofabove/pseuds/demonofabove
Summary: Iruka entered the lake alone, but left again with two.He wasn't expecting anything that happened;But somehow, Kakashi knew...Kakashi knew that a spirit child had tagged along, too.
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi/Umino Iruka
Comments: 32
Kudos: 81
Collections: KakaIru Mini Bang 2020





	1. The Lake

**Author's Note:**

> The spirit child legend is different amongst various tribes across Australia; and the one I've based my fic on (and adapted slightly) isn't as well known, and comes from some tribes in North Kimberley, Western Australia. 
> 
> I chose to do an indigenous legend from Australia, as I am part Aboriginal, myself, and wanted to explore and share the culture.
> 
> I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed researching & writing about it! <3

Kakashi's senses were tingling. He didn't think there was an enemy nearby - he couldn't detect any, at least; but something felt strange - mystic, even. He studied his surroundings carefully, from the paper bark trees standing tall above him, to the dry cane grass stuffed through stony cracks in the red sandstone earth, swaying along to the hot breeze that blanketed the countryside. And then his eyes drifted to the lake Iruka was inspecting.

It was a miracle they had found it, really - they were out in the dry countryside, returning from a mission in Iwagakure; and there wasn't very much around. Yet right here, in the middle of nowhere, they had found a freshwater lake, complete with a small patch of lilies; and with water so clear you could see the entire ecosystem below. It was a hidden paradise, welcome in this hot, dry area; but although it seemed safe, Kakashi couldn't help but stay alert.

Suddenly, he caught movement in his peripheral vision, and glanced over to see what it was; and he stared in awe at a large serpent slithering peacefully down a tree. Its scales seemed to glitter like they each held an entire galaxy beneath them; and the colourful pigments shone brightly, splattering a vibrant painting across its body. The snake was out of this world, mythical, even; and it reminded Kakashi of legends of the Rainbow Serpent he'd grown up hearing, before his father passed. And as the snake disappeared, Kakashi recalled one particular story about what it meant to see the Rainbow Serpent in a place like this; and his eyes grew wide with realisation as everything clicked into place. He knew exactly where they were, and why everything felt so mystical.

"Ahh, Iruka, wait!" he panicked. "What are you doing?"

"What?" he asked in confusion. "I'm just cooling my legs in the lake while we're taking a break."

"Can't you sense it? This lake is sacred."

"It is? Why?"

"I wasn't sure until now; but this is a lake of fertility."

"Lake of fertility?" Iruka asked in confusion.

"Yeah." he said seriously. "This is exactly like the area described in the legend of the spirit child - I can feel the spiritual energy surrounding us."

"Legend of the spirit child? I can't say I've heard that one before."

"Well, the adaptation my dad told me isn't as common as the others…" Kakashi began. "But in it, the Rainbow Serpent deposits spirit children in waterholes like this; and when a woman wades in, one will grab hold of and attach itself to her; and when she leaves the water, she will fall pregnant. But only if the father finds the child. He will know when he has, because it will appear as an animal that only he can see, like a totem, or he might see a child riding the Rainbow Serpent, instead; and later, he dreams about it entering his partner."

"Huh. I didn't know you knew stories like that." Iruka commented. "Do you believe any of them?"

"Well, I believe this one."

"Really? You do?" Iruka asked in surprise.

"There's a lot we don't know about the world we live in - who's to say it isn't true?" Kakashi replied. "Besides, it really does feel like the atmosphere is different around here."

"Hmm..." Iruka hummed indifferently, bending down to scoop some water in his hands.

"You really shouldn't be in the water." Kakashi warned anxiously. "Drinking from it should be fine, but…"

"Okay, then. I'll hop out if you're really that worried." Iruka said. "But what do you think is going to happen? Even if that legend is true, I'm a guy - I can't get pregnant."

"You never know… Just because there haven't been stories of men carrying a child of the lake, it doesn't mean it can't happen."

"Right." Iruka replied.

He didn't believe in that legend, and found it absolutely strange that Kakashi did - he had never come across as a spiritual person before, but seemed so serious about this. Iruka would do his best to respect Kakashi's beliefs; but he had to admit he was a little lost. What had he even meant about a strange atmosphere and spiritual energy here, anyway? Sure, it was a nice lake; but it didn't feel like there was anything special about it…

Iruka turned to leave the waterhole, and took a step towards the shore; but rather than the rocky floor, his foot touched something large and slimy that seemed to sliver against his skin. He yelped in surprise and stumbled back, getting a glimpse of something bright and colourful shimmering beneath the surface; and he slipped on uneven stone and toppled into the water, landing hard on his butt and baptising himself in the lake.

"Ow, did you see that?" he asked, slowly picking himself up. "I think it was a snake or something… But I've never seen one so colourful before."

"A colourful snake?" Kakashi asked anxiously, extending a hand by the edge of the lake to help Iruka back to the shore. "Are you okay? Did it bite you?"

"No, I think I just scared it away." Iruka said, taking his hand. "But I think I'm going to get a few bruises after landing on all that stone."

"Let me take a look at you to check the damage."

Kakashi pulled Iruka's shirt up, revealing his smooth, wet skin beneath; and gingerly put a hand on his lower back, gently caressing him as he searched for wounds. _Ba-dump_. With Iruka this close to him, his scent was strong and intoxicating; and Kakashi wanted to pull him close and hold him, and feel his body pressed against him.

Kakashi's hand experimentally slid up Iruka's back, under the shirt, passing along his scar; and Iruka subconsciously pressed into him as Kakashi left warm tingles lingering along his skin wherever he touched. Kakashi's hands tentatively crept around Iruka's sides to his front, feeling his chest; and suddenly hot breath tickled Iruka's neck, where Kakashi had leaned forward and hovered his head over his shoulder. Iruka almost tilted his own as he got caught up in the moment, knowing Kakashi wanted to kiss him; but the glare of the sun reflecting off the lake reminded him where he was, and his mind quickly became sober again.

"Um, K-Kakashi," he stammered nervously, gently reaching for his hands, "T-This is nice, but we should try to keep it professional out in the field. Did you um, find any injuries?"

"U-Uh, no. You're fine." Kakashi mumbled shyly as his cheeks grew hot. He quickly removed his hands and dropped Iruka's shirt, and stepped away. "Sorry."

Before Iruka could respond, Kakashi had disappeared, obviously embarrassed by his actions; and he was left with his thoughts, a warmth in his chest, and a racing heart. He hadn't really wanted things to stay professional; but the intimacy had taken him by surprise, and he'd panicked.

He hadn't been expecting to be so responsive to Kakashi's touch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cover art is also done by me ^.^


	2. Confirmation

A week had passed since the mission; and Kakashi had been feeling strange. Ever since the stop at the lake, he'd felt like he'd had some kind of spell cast over him, like he had become aware of another presence, like he had a third eye; and whenever he honed in on the feeling, his thoughts always drifted to Iruka, and the legend of spirit children. His intuition was telling him there was a link between the two thoughts, that perhaps a spirit child really had attached itself to Iruka when he fell; and after mulling it over to himself, he had finally decided that he needed to talk to him to confirm the connection. He had to figure out if this feeling was because he was going to be a father.

Kakashi had never had a chance to think about whether he wanted to have kids or not before; but with the idea planted in his head, now that it could be a possibility, that seeing the Rainbow Serpent meant he could be the father of a spirit child, of _Iruka's_ child, he knew it was something he was ready for. He'd had feelings for Iruka for years; and would love to skip the whole dating thing and just settle down with him right away.

Kakashi entered the mission room and wandered straight towards the desk Iruka was stationed at, waiting in line behind a couple of other shinobi to see him. Finally, when it was his turn to be served, Kakashi approached the desk carefully, scanning the building for people listening in. He sensed watchful eyes all around, and knew that anything he said here wouldn't be kept confidential and between the two of them.

"Iruka, can I talk to you for a moment?" Kakashi asked quietly. "Somewhere private?"

"Uh, sure. Just let me handle these last few people first, and I'll go on my break."

"I'll wait by the tree outside."

Iruka was curious about what Kakashi wanted - it wasn't often he asked to speak with him privately; and as his thoughts drifted to their near-kiss by the lake, his face grew hot. It wasn't about that, was it? He supposed he would find out soon.

Iruka made his way outside, and found Kakashi leaning against the large oak tree out the front, reading Icha-Icha. Although, it seemed more like he was just staring at the pages, and was thinking about something else instead - Iruka could easily tell the difference between reading and pretending to; and he was even more curious to hear what Kakashi had to say.

"Okay, I'm free now. What did you want to discuss?"

"Since our mission, have you, uh, felt strange at all?"

"Strange, how?"

"Well, uh, any unusual pains, or tenderness anywhere? Or have you been sick at all?"

"No, I'm perfectly fine."

"Tired?"

"No more than usual. Why?"

"What about any weird cravings?"

"Weird cravi - what?" Iruka frowned in confusion. "You're not trying to ask me if I'm pregnant, are you?"

"It's just… I've been getting this feeling I can't shake - something… mystic and spiritual. Iruka, I… I think I saw the Rainbow Serpent at the lake; and I can't help but think that something happened when you fell in. You mentioned a colourful snake, too - that has to mean something…" Kakashi said. "What if it was the spirit child? What if it appeared as a snake; and we both saw it because we're the fathers?"

"K-Kakashi!" Iruka squeaked, feeling his face go bright red. "Do you realise what you're saying?"

"Well, it can't be a coincidence that we both saw a rainbow snake right where the legend takes place, right where there was a lot of spiritual energy. It _has_ to be the spirit child."

"Look," Iruka said, reaching out to place his hands on his shoulders, "I don't want to be dismissive of your beliefs, but I do think you're overthinking things a bit. I can assure you that nothing has happened to me; and that I am definitely not pregnant. Even if I was - say I did have a womb, how would you be the father, anyway? I don't know how the legend goes, but even if sex wasn't a requirement, wouldn't we have to at least be a couple for you to be the father? There's nothing to worry about."

"Then why am I so drawn to you? Why am I feeling all this spiritual energy telling me it's true? _Why_ , Iruka?"

"I don't know, Kakashi." Iruka said softly, stroking Kakashi's shoulders with his thumbs. "But I really don't feel any different to how I did before our mission. Let's just continue life as normal - maybe that feeling will go away on its own."

 _But I don't want it to go away - I can't throw away feelings like that…_ Kakashi's chest became icy, and his heart sunk, shattering into pieces. _You're usually so good at reading me. I hoped you would understand how important this is to me…_

"I see." Kakashi said dejectedly, shrugging off Iruka's hands, taking a step to the side to pass him. Was he really not feeling any different? Could he really not sense that sacred, spiritual energy? _Why_? What did Iruka need to be able to feel it and understand?

"Huh? What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Don't worry about it." he answered abruptly, his voice somewhat deflated. "Anyway, that's all I wanted to ask you. I'll uh, let you enjoy the rest of your break."

And before Iruka could say anything else, Kakashi was gone; and there was nothing else he could do but trudge back inside, and replay the conversation in his mind.

"What did you do to Hatake out there? Would have thought he'd still be glued to your side." Genma commented when he returned.

"He just had somewhere to be." Iruka replied absently, feeling a little empty inside.

"Hasn't stopped him from sticking around before."

Iruka's stomach twisted in a knot, swirling with nausea as dread began to leak through his body. Genma was right - Kakashi usually made any excuse under the sun to hang around and spend time with him; so for him to suddenly disappear like that was very unusual.

He recalled Kakashi's pained voice and the hurt expression he had been trying to hide behind his mask. Was it because nothing happened after the mission? Iruka frowned. Kakashi really seemed to believe that something special _had_. Maybe he was just disappointed that he couldn't share the experience? But Iruka got the feeling he was upset at something else, too…

But what was it? And why did he feel like it had something to do with _him_?


	3. Dreamtime

Kakashi lay in bed, wide awake. His mind was wandering after his conversation with Iruka - it had hurt to hear him be so dismissive of his feelings, and to be rejected so easily; and he was a little upset. On top of that, the spiritual sensation he'd had since the mission, that Iruka said he hadn't been able to feel, himself, had suddenly become overwhelmingly strong, like it was taunting him with reminders of the future that would never be.

Kakashi sighed and closed his eyes in an attempt to try and get this day over and done with; and finally, after another hour or so, somehow, his mind settled, and he drifted off to sleep. Then suddenly, he felt cold, like he had walked into a freezer; and when he opened his eyes, he found himself surrounded by fog.

It wasn't thick; but he couldn't see anything around him, like he was wandering through a world of grey - even the ground seemed to be gone, like he had been transported to a void in which only he existed. But despite the loneliness of it all, despite there being nothing around that his naked eye could see, something was urging him to wander, telling him that he would find something soon; so he set off in what he hoped was straight ahead, and not around in circles, searching for whatever was waiting for him.

It wasn't long before he noticed a silhouette in the distance, of someone he recognised - an adult with their hair pulled back into a ponytail; and he approached them, curious and wanting to confirm who it was. In a world of nothingness, what were they doing here, too? How had they reached the void?

When he got closer and the person became clearer, he realised it was Iruka; and his heart skipped a beat. He stopped in his tracks and stared, unsure what to do, whether he was ready to face him or not; but there was a feeling in his chest encouraging him to keep going, that he had found what he was looking for. Kakashi decided to listen to this feeling, to follow his instincts; and when he was close, Iruka turned to him, smiling tenderly, beckoning him over with his arms wide open.

A ball of excitement squirmed in Kakashi's chest, and he picked up his pace, eager to reach Iruka, his angst long forgotten; and as he took in his affectionate expression, butterflies went wild in his stomach - Iruka had never looked so beautiful before.

Suddenly, Kakashi felt a breeze swirl around his legs, then rush forward towards Iruka, making the material of his pants flap along; and as it glided forwards, something brushed against his legs; and when Kakashi looked down, he saw a child racing towards Iruka.

Kakashi hesitated with his next steps, curious of the surprise visitor - was that who Iruka had been calling over, all along?; and the grey world he had been wandering through started to transform into a field. The three of them were out by a lake, much like the one from the mission; but this time, it was surrounded by a field of tulips, mixed with reds, purples, whites, pinks and yellows, rather than the dryness of the outback; and when the child reached Iruka and hugged his leg, smiling brightly, the sun came out from behind a large group of clouds, warming the area and making the tulips shine brighter than before, as though they were grinning, too.

"Papa!" The child called, nuzzling their head into him.

Kakashi didn't know anything about the child - they were still a silhouette amongst this clear picture, so he couldn't even tell their gender; but something was telling him he knew exactly who they were, that they had met before. Or perhaps will meet. They seemed so familiar that if they had come running to him instead, he would have been just as happy as Iruka to hold them.

Kakashi took a step forward to join Iruka and the child; and suddenly the world swirled and swayed, becoming distorted, as though he was using the mangekyou sharingan. As he tried to focus, the child shrunk before his very eyes, and opened Iruka's stomach like a door, climbing into the warm room inside; and they curled up into the foetal position as they settled down, shrinking even further, still.

Then finally, as the world turned to black and Kakashi felt himself being pulled away, the child looked at him with loving eyes, and smiled; and their voice filled his head as strong as the breeze that closed the door to Iruka's stomach, shutting the now infant inside him.

"I can't wait to meet you… Daddy."

Kakashi woke with a gasp, sitting upright in bed as he tried to catch his breath, his heart still pounding wildly, and his body coated in sweat. That dream, and his entire experience so far; there was absolutely no mistaking it… That was the spirit child.

Iruka was pregnant; and he was going to be a father.


	4. Reconciliation

Iruka hadn't seen Kakashi much after he'd been asked about being pregnant; and he got a sick feeling in his gut whenever he thought about him and how that conversation had ended. He didn't like the distance between them, or how it felt like they were on bad terms, almost like a break up; and he was especially worried about the expression he had seen flash across Kakashi's face. Kakashi would never say anything, but he had clearly been hurt by something back then; and Iruka felt guilty - Kakashi was important to him, and upsetting him was the last thing he wanted to do. He had to make it up to him somehow.

When Iruka finished up at the academy, the man on his mind was wandering in his general direction, reading an Icha-Icha novel; and he rushed over to him.

"Kakashi!" he called out.

Kakashi didn't hear him the first time, but when Iruka tried again, he closed his book and looked up, stopping as he waited for him to catch up. He didn't really feel like talking, but he didn't want to run away from Iruka, either - he could have something important he needed to share. And actually, that's what Kakashi was hoping. He was hoping Iruka would say that he was pregnant, and that they were going to have a baby. But that was just wishful thinking.

"Um, hi." Iruka greeted. "I haven't seen you around lately."

"Yeah, I've been... busy." Kakashi said evasively. Iruka decided to get straight to it, knowing they wouldn't get anywhere like this.

"Look, I know that you've been avoiding me; and I was wondering why. Did I do something wrong?"

"It's… It doesn't matter."

"But you're clearly upset! What's wrong? Was it something I said?"

Kakashi looked away, remaining silent. How could he tell Iruka he was disappointed that he didn't reciprocate his feelings and dismissed his beliefs in the legend, not experiencing any of it himself; that he knew it wasn't his fault, but still felt hurt because it was like something had been completely stripped from him?

Iruka sighed.

"If you don't want to tell me, I suppose that's okay." he said softly, taking Kakashi's hand. "But let me at least take you out to dinner on Friday - it'll make you feel better."

Kakashi's heart ached. Iruka was so sweet, genuinely wanting to help; and Kakashi so badly wanted to say yes, and let Iruka take him out. But after their moment at the lake, seeing and feeling how Iruka accepted his intimacy so naturally, how he had said out aloud that he liked it; and then being unable to shake the feeling that Iruka was pregnant, and dreaming that he was the father; Kakashi knew it would hurt too much to go as friends, which he expected was Iruka's intentions.

"Maybe..." Kakashi said, turning to leave. If only he had the courage to tell Iruka what he really wanted, how he really felt…

"Please don't run away." Iruka said, gripping his hand tighter.

Kakashi faced him again; and Iruka took another step closer, and reached out to gently cup his face. _Ba-dump_. Kakashi's heart fluttered as Iruka's touch shot sparks through his body.

"You're important to me, Kakashi; and life's not the same without you around. I want to see you and spend time with you again - I miss you; so please, let me fix this."

Why was Iruka doing this to him? Trying to keep him so close, being as intimate as a partner, but keeping him at the distance of friends? Did he not realise how much he liked him? How the smallest touch leaves his skin tingling for the rest of the day; how his smile warms his soul; how he's always on his mind, even in his dreams? Kakashi would do anything for him, just because; and he wanted to do more, to show his love completely; but for some reason, Iruka wasn't there yet - he was hesitant, and showing mixed signals. Could it be that he liked him too, but just hadn't realised yet? Was that the only thing stopping them being together? If so, then all he needed was to be guided in the right direction… Right? _Ba-dump._ Kakashi knew what he had to do. He knew how to get his answers.

"Okay. I'll go, on one condition." Kakashi swallowed.

"W-What would you like?" The atmosphere had suddenly become intense; and Iruka was a little nervous.

Kakashi reached up and gently grabbed the hand settled on his cheek, and slowly lowered it, using his own finger to pull his mask down at the same time. His heart was pounding wildly and butterflies were fluttering in his stomach - he was very nervous, but also a little excited and hopeful. This was it; this was the move he needed to make; now, or never.

"I will only go," he leaned forward, inching his face closer to his, eyes darting towards his lips, "if it's a date."

 _Ba-dump_. Iruka felt the blood rush to his face as Kakashi slowly closed the distance between them; and when he closed his eyes in anticipation, he finally felt Kakashi's lips press against his. It was a soft and careful kiss, but also passionate; and it sent sparks flying throughout his entire body. Iruka slid his arms around Kakashi's neck as he pressed into the kiss; and a wave of warmth and fuzziness hit, like this closeness to Kakashi was intoxicating his very soul; and soon the rest of the world faded away. All that was left was him, Kakashi, and the moment.

Time seemed to stand still, and Iruka didn't know how long they had been connected for; but Kakashi suddenly pulled back, as slowly as he had advanced. They stared at each other, Kakashi as flushed and nervous as ever, and Iruka's lips still tingling sweetly from where they'd been touched; and when Iruka finally moved, it was only to run a hand through Kakashi's hair.

"A date, huh…" he smiled, half-dazed. "I like the sound of that."


	5. Date Night

Iruka's day had been strange. He felt like he had awakened another part of him, and had a whole new level of awareness of himself and everything around him. Even stranger still, was that could sense another presence - something that seemed to have magical, phantasmic elements to it. It felt like a different being, but also a part of himself; and he was overwhelmed with a spiritual sensation growing through his core. Something that reminded him of Kakashi, and his belief of the spirit child legend.

In the beginning, Kakashi had spoken about feeling spiritual energy at the lake; and ever since, he had seemed convinced that the legend was true and that they were going to be parents. Iruka hadn't felt a thing, himself; but if he had been getting sensations like this before, he wondered whether he would have believed the legend back then, too. He didn't think he was pregnant - how could he be if he didn't have a womb?; but he certainly felt some kind of new energy that was opening his mind to the idea that _something_ may have happened. At the very least, he felt connected to something, and somehow drawn to Kakashi. Kakashi, who he would be going on a date with soon.

He was a little nervous about it, but he was also excited - there had been something special about the kiss they had shared, and he had liked the way Kakashi's hands had felt across his skin at the lake; and he was looking forward to exploring that more. Iruka considered Kakashi the closest person in his life, besides Naruto, and he could already confidently say he was fond of him; but he had never taken the time to figure out what kind of relationship they had or that he wanted. The kiss a few days ago seemed to have unlocked the door to his heart; and now, he was thinking he might like to open it, depending on what happens during the date.

_Knock, knock._

Iruka's heart jolted as he sensed the chakra signature of the person on the other side of the door. Kakashi was here already?! What for? Did he get the time wrong? Did something come up, and he needed to postpone? Or did he want to cancel all together?

Iruka went to the door nervous but curious; and opened it to find out.

"Yo."

Kakashi was standing there, still in his uniform; and he had his hands behind his back.

"Hi." Iruka greeted. "Um, I don't mean to be rude, but what are you doing here? Aren't we supposed to be meeting up a little later? I still need to get changed and everything."

"I ah, had an idea for the date; and wanted to see what you thought." Kakashi said shyly, a small hint of blush peeking above the edge of his mask.

"You do? What did you have in mind?" Iruka asked curiously. Truthfully, he hadn't known where he wanted to take Kakashi; whether to take him to a restaurant, or shout him ramen at Ichiraku, which he already knew he liked; so he was glad Kakashi had a suggestion.

"I was wondering if maybe you wanted to cook something together?"

"Cooking? Hmm…" Iruka considered. "I don't know. I'm not really the best cook."

"That means I can teach you!" Kakashi said, his eyes lighting up happily. "I know a few simple things that you won't be able to mess up."

"You want to teach me how to cook?"

"Why not? You should have at least one good recipe up your sleeve."

"I suppose you're right." Iruka said. "But what would we make? I don't even have any groceries."

"No need to worry about that." Kakashi smiled, revealing a couple of bags of groceries he'd hidden behind his back. "I've got everything we need."

"O-Oh!" Iruka exclaimed in surprise. "Well, uh, why don't you come on in?"

In the kitchen, Kakashi eagerly took everything out the bags; and Iruka looked on curiously, trying to figure out what they would be making - it definitely looked healthy, with the variety of vegetables he was seeing. Kakashi separated the food into different piles, presumably for different dishes; and when he was done, he looked up with a satisfied expression on his face.

"Tonight, we're having miso soup, rice, vegetables, and grilled fish." he stated.

"Uh, what? We're going to cook _all_ of that?" Iruka gawked.

"Maa, Iruka, you don't need to look so worried - you're only doing the soup; and I'm doing the rest." Kakashi said. "Everything will be fine."

"K-Kakashi, you do know _I_ was supposed to be the one treating _you_ tonight, right?"

"You are." he replied, smiling fondly to himself. "Spending time with you like this is exactly what I wanted."

Iruka blushed. Kakashi was a little more forward than he was expecting, like their kiss the other day had made him more confident; and it was making his heart race.

"Shall we get started, then?"

It turned out Iruka was a lot less competent at even the simple things like cutting vegetables when Kakashi was around; especially after he had taken his mask off. For some reason, he was very aware of how close they were, and was hyper-sensitive to even the slightest brush against his skin; and more than a few times, he had nearly slipped with the knife. When they had started cooking, he had nearly dropped the wooden spoon, too; and he had generally been a disaster in the kitchen. At least dinner still ended up tasting good in the end. 

Actually, it was a lot nicer than Iruka was expecting. Despite being so distracted, he hadn't stuffed up the soup; and Kakashi had cooked the rest of the meal perfectly. He was a wonderful cook; and Iruka was having a really nice time in his company. So good, in fact, that when he took their empty dishes over to the sink, he went and grabbed two mugs from the cupboard for tea - he didn't want their evening to end just yet.

When he returned with their drinks and set Kakashi's in front of him, he noticed that he was staring absently at the table, lost in thought; and he gently placed a hand on his shoulder. Kakashi almost startled, for a split second, becoming slightly tense from the unexpected touch; and he looked up, quickly returning to his senses.

"Hey, you okay?" Iruka asked softly.

"Yeah, I was just thinking." he said. "It's nothing important - just a dream I had the other night…"

Iruka set his tea down, and moved his chair, sitting even closer to Kakashi. This time, their knees were just about touching; and Iruka reached out easily, and grabbed one of his hands with both of his.

"I'd like to hear it, if you don't mind." he smiled warmly, gently caressing Kakashi's hand.

"Well, it was about spirit children… More specifically," he hesitated, "ours."

"We had a child?" Iruka blushed, glancing down at his stomach.

"Mn… Kind of. There was a child, five or six years old; and they ran towards you for a hug, and called you Papa. I was walking over to you, and they started shrinking and hopped in your stomach - it was like a room for them; and I started getting pulled out of the dream. But the child spoke to me just before I woke up. They said they couldn't wait to meet me; and they called me Daddy. I felt like I knew the child, like the three of us were a family; and I don't know… It was so vivid, and I just can't get it out of my head."

"I can see why…" Iruka mused.

"Mn." Kakashi fell silent as Iruka continued to massage his hand and fingers.

"Hey Kakashi," Iruka said after a moment, "can I ask you something?"

"Sure. What's up?"

"I remember you mentioning that in the spirit child legend, the father has a dream about a child entering their partner; and your dream, uh, certainly sounds like that…" Iruka took a breath, looking down at his stomach again. "Do you think that it really was a message telling you that you were going to have a child? And how do you feel about that? It's all too crazy to believe, isn't it?"

Kakashi studied Iruka carefully. He seemed uncertain, like he wasn't sure if his question was hypothetical, and that he was worried about the future; like something had happened to make him take the legend more seriously. A ball of excitement swirled in Kakashi's chest; and he considered how to answer Iruka's question without scaring him off, and also assuring him that everything would be okay.

"Well, the world is full of mysteries; and I've seen enough strange things in my life to believe that nothing is entirely impossible." He said, gently grabbing both of Iruka's hands. Then he looked deep into his eyes, smiling warmly. "And if it turns out my dream and the spirit child legend becomes our reality, I'm happy to be experiencing it with you."

"R-Really? You are?"

"Y-Yes." Kakashi blushed, a little overwhelmed by the intensity of Iruka's gaze. "I would gladly be the father of your child." _Ba-dump_.

"K-Kakashi..." Iruka smiled fondly, feeling warm, as though he'd been touched by an angel, "You're really sweet, you know."

Kakashi glanced away, his face growing even redder; and after a moment, he felt Iruka gently slide his hands out of his grip, and up his arms to his neck. And when he looked back, Iruka was leaning in from the edge of his seat, moving even closer; and after a small moment of hesitation to determine that it was okay, he suddenly pressed his lips against his, tender and passionately.

Kakashi closed his eyes and kissed back, his heart pounding fast as an entire universe exploded inside him - it meant the world to him that Iruka had been the one to make the move and kiss _him_ , showing him that they were finally on the same page, that he didn't want to be just friends anymore; and he gently placed his hands on Iruka's waist and guided him onto his lap.

They continued to explore each other, feeling and tasting each other with kisses and movements just as special, and even more so than their first kiss just days before; and things were getting hot and heavy. Kakashi could sense that Iruka wanted this, but was also a little hesitant; and he started to slow down, not wanting to pressure him into doing anything he wasn't ready for. And soon, they were no longer making out; and he was gazing into Iruka's enchanting eyes, instead.

He had been right about him seeming hesitant; but as he read Iruka's expression, he got the impression it wasn't about whether or not he wanted to have sex; but the bigger picture. He was thinking too hard, nervous about what he was deciding; and for a moment, all he did was absently caress his shoulders while he thought. Then suddenly, he was brought back to reality, and he spoke.

"Kakashi… I've had a great time tonight, and I don't want it to end."

"I uh, feel the same way." he blushed, a little surprised but happy to hear Iruka say that.

"Then," Iruka smiled shyly, his hands now nervously toying with the fabric on Kakashi's shirt, "would you like to stay the night?"

"I-I'd love to."

Iruka's expression became flirty; and he slid his hands down to Kakashi's chest, and started to massage the area, as he leaned forward for another kiss.

"Shall we continue where we left off?"

Kakashi hummed in agreement; and he parted his lips for Iruka again as he slid his hands down his body.

There was no way he was going to turn him down.


	6. Morning After

When Iruka woke up, he was almost lulled back to sleep by the warmth of the body wrapped around him. Memories of his and Kakashi's night together were still stamped into his chest, and his body still felt marked inside and out; and he was content. Everything they'd done had felt so right, from their date, to him inviting Kakashi over for the night, to the sex; and Iruka knew what he wanted now. He wanted to be with Kakashi like this. He wanted to be his partner.

Kakashi shifted in his sleep, rolling over and spreading himself across Iruka's chest; and he rested his head cheek down, almost facing him. Iruka's heart fluttered seeing his peaceful expression - it made him look innocent and almost child-like, especially with the way his lips were slightly parted; and Iruka gently placed a hand on his head, and wove his fingers through his soft hair.

He lay there for a moment, getting drowsier as he repeated the motion, watching Kakashi sleep; but he wasn't able to doze off again. Actually, the longer he stayed awake, the more aware he was that he was feeling sick. It was a churning nausea in his stomach, much like downing too many shots and his body being desperate to get rid of them; and the air in the bedroom was beginning to feel too thick, like it was trying to choke him. It felt like it was making him worse, too; and he really needed to get some fresh air, so he carefully slipped out of bed, leaving Kakashi behind.

Every step he made felt like it was shaking his body around, stirring up his stomach even more; and as it started to ache and the nausea became more intense, his throat felt tighter and saliva began to pool in his mouth, as though someone was wringing it out of him. He couldn't think properly now - his only thoughts were on how he felt, and trying to get some fresh air; and as he walked through the kitchen, a smell still lingered from dinner the night before; and when his nose caught it, his body felt like it was going to erupt.

Iruka ran for the bathroom and flung the lid of the toilet seat up just as he started to gag; and as soon as his head was over the bowl, everything came out. He knelt down, gripping the side of the bowl; and his eyes started to water as he violently retched. It felt like it would never end; and soon, he found himself gasping for breath as his stomach just kept on pushing stuff out.

Iruka's stomach was hurting from all the heaving, and he was beginning to feel weak; and the only thing he could think about was figuring out the reason he was so sick. His first thought was food poisoning; but dinner had been cooked perfectly the night before, and Kakashi hadn't become sick, so it had to be something else. But what could make him become so violently ill, when he'd been fine the day before? He didn't even have symptoms of anything else - he was only vomiting.

Finally, there was a moment of reprieve; and Iruka sniffled, and grabbed some toilet paper to wipe his mouth with; and he took some deep breaths, trying to settle his stomach. His nausea eventually died down to safe levels; and he shakily stood up, flushed his bile away, and went to the sink to clean his mouth out - he felt absolutely disgusting.

Just as he was finishing up, he heard gentle footsteps approaching from the hallway; and he sensed that Kakashi was almost there; and when he turned to greet him, he froze. He had seen that concerned expression on Kakashi's face before, not too long after their mission and stopping by the lake; and he remembered exactly why he had been so worried. _Have you felt strange at all?_ , he remembered. Yes. _Have you felt sick?_ Yes, he answered, this time. _This is a lake of fertility from the spirit child legends..._ _I think I saw the Rainbow Serpent at the lake; and I can't help but think that something happened when you fell in..._ And soon, everything clicked; and Iruka knew exactly why he was sick. Kakashi had been right all along.

"Iruka? Are you okay?" Kakashi asked tentatively. "I uh, heard you from the bedroom… And you look like you've just seen a ghost."

"Kakashi…" he swallowed nervously.

"I think I'm pregnant."


	7. Answers

"Tsunade-sama, could we speak with you for a moment?"

"Kakashi?" Tsunade said in surprise. "What are you doing here? You're the last person I'd expect to see willingly at the hospital."

"Maa, I think you're going to start expecting that a little more regularly." he replied contently.

"What do you mean?"

"Tsunade-sama, I…" Iruka stepped forward, glancing at Kakashi uncertainly. "Something completely impossible has happened… And I almost don't believe it, myself. But I know it's true."

"Oh? What happened?" she asked curiously.

"I, uh…" Iruka glanced away nervously. "I think I'm…"

"Pardon? I didn't quite catch that. What's going on?"

"Iruka is pregnant." Kakashi said. Tsunade stared dumbly as she tried to process Kakashi's words.

"Um… Did you just say what I think you did?"

"Yes. Iruka is pregnant."

Tsunade was speechless - her mind broke, and she couldn't understand the situation, much less make a comment on it. 

"Is this some kind of prank?"

"No. we're serious." Kakashi said earnestly.

"Did you two hit your head? Or… Did Iruka perhaps transform into a woman during sex?" Tsunade asked in confusion. "Actually, don't answer that - I don't want to know about your kinks. Just… What makes you think he's pregnant? He doesn't have the anatomy to have a baby…"

"Well…" Kakashi began, rummaging through his vest pocket, pulling out a small zip-lock bag with several positive pregnancy tests, "These are his."

"Haah?!" Tsunade exclaimed. "What the hell happened?!"

As Kakashi told her about the legend of spirit children, and what happened at the lake, Tsunade's incredulous, skeptical expression slowly turned to interest, and curiosity; and by the end of the tale, she seemed more open-minded to the possibility that Iruka was pregnant, or was at least convinced there was reason to believe something had happened, if her frown and pursed lips said anything.

"Okay, take a seat on the bed, and lift your shirt." Tsunade said to Iruka. "I'm going to examine you - a man having a positive pregnancy test isn't normal; so if you're not actually pregnant, then there could be something else that needs fixing…"

Iruka followed her instructions, suddenly feeling very nervous when she began her examination. What if he wasn't pregnant? What if it was as she said, and that there was something wrong with him? If so, then what were all those feelings he and Kakashi were experiencing? Were they just believing in the legend because they wanted it to be true?

"What the?" Tsunade hummed to herself, her frown becoming even more defined with every moment that passed.

"Have you found something?" Iruka asked tentatively.

"Well…" Tsunade said, finishing up the examination. "I don't know how, but you have a womb… And there's definitely a baby inside - you're three weeks along."

"Three weeks?" Iruka's heart skipped several beats as he glanced at Kakashi. "T-That was when we went on our mission, and I… I don't believe it…" He turned back to Tsunade. "I'm really pregnant?"

"Definitely." she smiled. "Congratulations, Iruka, Kakashi. You're going to have a baby."

"I'm running late to an important meeting, so I have to leave; but I want you to see me later so I can discuss your check ups and go through with you what your pregnancy might be like, and answer any questions you may have. In the meantime, there's some brochures by the front desk you can grab that will give you the basics."

"T-Thank you, Tsunade-sama."

With that, Tsunade left Kakashi and Iruka to themselves, asking them to turn off the lights and close the door when they left the room; and Kakashi joined Iruka on the bed, who seemed to be in shock, and a little bit troubled. He wrapped an arm around him, pulling him closer; and Iruka leaned into him as he thought to himself and tried to process the news.

Kakashi was nervous with the silence. He was usually able to read Iruka clearly, but this time, he couldn't tell what was going through his mind - was he happy? Scared? Not ready for this?; and he was worried about the worst. Suddenly, Iruka's eyes started to glisten, like he was about to cry; and Kakashi jumped up from his side and went to his front, standing in between his legs to pull him into a proper, closer embrace; and Iruka clung to him from the bed, burying his head in his chest.

"What am I going to do?" he mumbled into his shirt. "I can barely afford myself with my budget, and my place is too small for two... How can I support a child like this? And how am I going to get money when I'm too far along to keep working?"

"It will be okay, Iruka." Kakashi murmured, rubbing circles into his back. "You can move in with me at the Hatake compound; and I earn enough to be able to help out with everything else. You won't have to do this alone."

"Kakashi, we've only just started dating; I don't expect you to -"

"Please let me." Kakashi gently pulled Iruka back to look into his eyes, and lowered his mask to speak. "With all those signs - the Rainbow Serpent, the dream, the spiritual feelings I've had from the very beginning; I know I'm the father of the child you're carrying."

Kakashi reached up and brushed a stray tear away from Iruka's cheek.

"Please let me take on my role. I want to do this… I want to commit, and settle down with you."

"Ka… Kashi…" Iruka breathed, as even more tears welled up and trickled down his face.

He dove for Kakashi, wrapping his arms even tighter around him; and his body began to shake as he became overwhelmed with emotion. He was scared about the future; but having Kakashi beside him, assuring him that he wasn't going anywhere, made him feel safer, like he would be able to handle anything he was faced with.

"You're going to be a wonderful dad, Ru." Kakashi murmured.

"S-So will you." Iruka sobbed.

They left not long after their chat; and as Kakashi turned out the lights, and the room became dark, he smiled to himself, suddenly reminded of his dream and how it ended. And now that life was running its course and his wishes and beliefs had finally been confirmed, he could finally let himself be excited about what was going to happen; and he was finally able to say what he'd wanted to when he'd woken from his dream that day.

As he turned away, a flash of rainbow glittered from a window along the hallway, mimicking the Rainbow Serpent; and a gentle breeze passed him, very similar to the one when he'd first met the spirit child; and Kakashi felt the spiritual power of the legend more clearly than ever, telling him it was time to say those words, to speak from his very heart.

"I can't wait to meet you, too _…"_

_Son._


	8. Epilogue

Iruka tilted his head, looking down to see his body; but all he could see was a mountain of blue past his chest. He couldn't even see the majority of his overgrown belly anymore because of the privacy screening Sakura had placed - another sign that it was nearly time for him to give birth; something he never would have expected would be possible for him nine months ago.

Sakura returned, wheeling in a tray of surgery tools; and although she had been trying to keep them out of sight, Iruka still got a glimpse of them; and his heart began to pound fast, and light tremors set into his body.

"Kakashi, I'm scared." he whispered timidly, his voice wavering. "Don't leave me."

"I'm not going anywhere, Ru." he said, taking Iruka's hand in his.

Iruka squeezed it hard, trembling in his hospital bed; and Kakashi's eyes widened in surprise - Iruka had a powerful grip; and he was sure his fingers were going to break. That was okay, though - Iruka was about to have a C section, to get cut into to deliver their baby, which was terrifying; so he could break as many bones as he needed to.

"Everything is going to be okay." Kakashi murmured, bringing Iruka's hand to his lips.

Finally, Tsunade appeared, wearing a different outfit to usual - a blue surgical gown that covered her clothes, gloves that travelled to about halfway up her forearms, and her hair tied back into a tight bun; and after assessing whether everything was ready or not, she walked right up to Iruka's side of the privacy screen and spoke.

"I know we've discussed this before; but do you know and understand what's going to happen?"

"Yes, Tsunade-sama."

"You know that you will be awake, but with anaesthetic, so you won't feel anything?"

"Yes."

"No questions?"

"No."

"Good." she said. "It looks like everything is all set up now, so we're going to get started."

"O-Okay." Iruka swallowed, gripping Kakashi's hand even tighter as she disappeared.

He was excited about meeting his son, but was afraid of everything that could possibly go wrong. He'd been assured that both Tsunade and Sakura knew what they were doing, and that they would be able to complete the procedure without any hassles - he'd known that already, himself, that they were the best people for the job; but with everything he'd learnt about childbirth, he couldn't help but worry.

But when the procedure began, it didn't take long for Iruka to realise that he hadn't needed to at all. He couldn't see what was happening by his stomach, but the room had gone silent, and he could tell that Tsunade was working on him. It was strange, because he knew he was being cut into, yet he could only feel a bit of pressure and pulling, but absolutely no pain. He didn't know how much time had passed since she had started the C section; but suddenly, he felt one giant tug and a big build-up of pressure, and then nothing; and he _knew_ … His son was born.

"Congratulations!" Tsunade said, "It's a boy; and he's perfectly healthy!"

She held him up for Iruka to see; and as she walked over to him, he heard small whimpers coming from his son as he realised he was no longer in the womb. Iruka tried to sit up straighter; and Kakashi helped him out, slipping an extra pillow beneath his back; and when he was more comfortable, Tsunade passed his newborn over to hold, then returned to his lower half to take over from Sakura, who had been tending to him.

The moment Iruka saw his son, his heart swelled with love and affection. He was small, and light for a baby, fitting snugly in his arm; and his eyes were closed, and his face scrunched up in a small pout that reminded him of Kakashi's. His skin was darker though, perhaps a few shades lighter than his own; and he had a small fuzz of dark hair sticking all over the place on his head that he expected would be the same colour as his own, but as messy as Kakashi's one day; and Iruka was in love with every part of him.

"He's beautiful." Kakashi said in awe.

"Do you want to hold him?" Iruka asked. "He's yours, too."

Kakashi nodded, and gently took his son, cradling him in his arms; and he, too, fell in love at first sight. Their little boy was gorgeous; and Kakashi could see so many features in him that reminded him of Iruka, from his little furrowed brows, to the shape of his nose, to the tiny chakra signature he was sensing. And as he held him in his arms, and the whimpers died down, Kakashi's vision began to blur as he became overwhelmed with emotions. He couldn't believe it; that this tiny, fragile baby was his _son_. He was a _father_ now. How did he become so lucky?

"Sorry to interrupt, sensei, but I have to take him for a moment, just to clean him up and record a couple of things." Sakura said tentatively. "Is that okay?"

Kakashi didn't want to part from his son for a second, but he eventually nodded and carefully handed him over.

"Do what you need to do." he said.

"Thanks." Sakura smiled. "You will have him back soon, I promise!"

As she disappeared, Kakashi went to Iruka's side again, and leaned down to kiss him.

"You did it." he murmured fondly. "He's perfect."

"I wouldn't have been able to without you." Iruka replied weakly, reaching for his hands.

Kakashi took them and ran his thumbs over Iruka's skin as he worriedly studied his exhausted expression and paler complexion - giving birth had really taken its toll on him. Even though Iruka hadn't been in pain because of the anaesthetic, his body had still gone into shock because of the procedure, losing blood, and suddenly no longer carrying a child; and he really needed to rest.

"So, do you have a name?" Tsunade suddenly asked.

Kakashi and Iruka sent each other a knowing look; and warm smiles crept on both their faces as they confirmed their answer. It was the only name that felt right for either of them; like it, too, had something special about it; like it, too, had been given to them at the lake. Iruka nodded to Kakashi. Yes, this name was perfect.

"Kaito." they said in unison.

"His name is Kaito."

Suddenly, the clouds parted, sending warm rays of light through the window; and when Kakashi looked outside, he could have sworn he'd gotten a glimpse of the Rainbow Serpent one last time, slithering away from the window sill. It's job was done now - it had given a spirit child its parents; and now it was off to another waterhole, waiting for a new couple to arrive. This was the end for the Rainbow Serpent; but for Kakashi and Iruka, it was the very beginning.

They were about to make a start on their family adventures.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am a mod of the Kakairu Rocks forum. It's a community for all kakairu lovers aged 13+, and there is all sorts of things to see & do, from perusing member fanworks and other recs, joining in with our weekly headcanon discussions, and participating in fun, exciting events! Please [come and check us out](https://kakairu.rocks/)! We'd love to see you there!


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